Question of the Day #774

Petrol subsidy retention: President Buhari kicks the can down the road

From the headline of this article at The Cable.

上記の文で、kick the can down the roadの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "kick the can down the road" mean?

答えは、コメントに書いてください。
Write your answer in the Comments.

明日、ここに答えを書きます。
I will add the answer and other remarks here tomorrow.

---

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

〈主に米話〉〔難題への対応を繰り返し〕先に延ばす、先送りする

下記英語の定義にあるように、このイディオムは特に政治関連でよく使用されます。

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

Especially in politics, to postpone or defer a definitive action, decision, or solution, usually by effecting a short-term one instead.

Examples

• I don't think we should kick the can down the road and let our grandkids solve that problem.
• You can’t solve a debt problem with more debt. That’s just kicking the can down the road.
• You can’t continue to kick the can down the road. Someone will have to tell him that he is fired.
• Kicking the can down the road is not a solution to any problem. We need to fix it permanently.
• It looks as though congress is going to kick the can down the road again on the debt ceiling issue, but they'll have to find a lasting solution eventually.

このサイトが役に立つと思ったら、ぜひ英語に関心のある知り合いとシェアしてください。